They arrived the manor later that night and Kui xian was more than relieved somehow that they finally made it. He was worn out and exhausted for carrying Li xu. She was very light, but carrying her for three hours was no joke. But Kui xian, he was determined to not show any signs of being dead beat to his Li xu, so he tried to be as silent as possible during his occasional gasps for air. 

            “We’re here now…” Kui xian whispered and Li Xu stirred. She didn’t realize she had fallen asleep against the boy’s back. He carefully scooted on the ground to let her go down and then Kui xian felt his knees went wobbly because of too much fatigue and he collapsed on the ground. His legs were cramping but he tried not to make a sound. He stretched his arms wide trying to make his dead muscles come back to life. His body was indeed aching all over. 

            “Kui xian…thank you…thank you very much. I don’t know how will I repay you for this” Li xu spoke softly staring into the space where he thought Kui xian was standing when in fact he was sprawled on the ground by her feet. 
           “Uhm…it’s okay…don’t mention it…” Kui xian managed to sit up on the ground, rubbing his painful hips. 
            “You must be so tired…I’m really sorry…” Li xu was slightly confused. She can’t figure where Kui xian ‘s voice was coming from so she didn’t know where to face. 
            “Kui xian?”   
            “Huh?” 
            “Where are you?” Li xu tried to stretch her arms trying to feel where the boy was standing. 
           “I’m here” Kui xian stood immediately in front of the girl and he slightly touched his forearm. He gave her a smile even if he knew she wouldn’t see it. 
            “I should go inside now…they must be very worried…Thank you very much Kui xian…I don’t know what will happen to me if you didn’t find me…I owe you my life…” Li xu gave him the loveliest smile and Kui xian just felt all the pain melted away in an instant. 
          

             “It’s my pleasure Li xu…I’ll do it for you anytime…” Kui xian stared at her with so much love and admiration. He wanted to hug her and tell her he would go to the ends of the world, climb the highest mountains and fight sea monsters and dragons just to protect her. 
              “Good night Kui xian…” Li xu gave him a small bow and she smiled again sweetly. 
Kui xian was not thinking…not using his brain, and was totally blinded by her beauty. He didn’t realize how it happened but as soon as the girl turned her back from him, he rushed to her, holding her face in the palm of his right hand and gave her a quick kiss on her right cheek. He ran away after that disappearing in the night. 

 

            Li xu was left standing by the manor’s door step holding her cheek. She can feel a slight burning feeling on that spot where Kui xian’s lips where a few moments ago. It was pleasant feeling and and she can’t understand why she was unconsciously smiling. 
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               “Yah Li xu! Tell me how did you go home? Madame Li Te…she almost killed us! She was furious!!!” Sheng min was wailing wildly inside their room when they finally settled in. Madame Li Te came back earlier that evening and when she saw Li xu, she hugged her tightly, her hair and was glad she was back safe and sound. 

 

               Li xu knew Madame Li te won’t like it if she mentioned that Kui xian was the one who took her home. She knew she sees him as the pesky trouble making brat. She made a story that a random merchant passing by the town, found it in his good heart to take her home. Madame Li Te asked her that she could have invited him in the manor, to at least let him rest, give him a free massage or serve him food just to show their gratitude but Li xu said the man was such in a hurry. 
            

               Luckily, Madame Li te was convinced and she instructed everyone to rest because it was already late. She set her eyes accidentally on Xi che and Sheng min and she glared at them again. 
                “How can these stupid girls leave Li xu?!!!” Madame Li te sighed heavily as she walked to her quarters. 

-----------------
                

               “Yah! Li xu! You’ve been staring into space…smiling. Do you have any plans in answering my question?” 
               “U-huh?” Li xu turned her head towards Sheng min who was now sitting on Li xu’s bed. Their room was divided into two by just a flimsy curtain set between their beds. A small table is place on the side of the bed and a dresser on the other. 
                Li xu smiled at Sheng min. The older girl wondered what’s with the smile? 
                
               She never saw it before. 

               “You’re keeping something Li xu! Spill!!! What happened?!” Sheng min tried to shake the other girl but Li xu just smiled at her sheepishly. 
               “Jiejie…can you keep a secret?” Li xu was almost giggling. 
               “I knew it! C’mon…spill!!!” Sheng min moved closer to hear Li xu’s story. 
               “It was Kui xian who…took me home…” Soft giggles soon followed and Sheng min squealed. She didn’t know why she was glad to hear it but she can’t deny the happiness in Li xu’s non-functional but expressive eyes and she was somehow happy for her too.

 
               “What happened? How did he find you?” Sheng min was now pulling on Li xu’s arm to coax her into telling her the whole story. Li xu told her about the man who was running after her and how she ended up inside Kui xian’s father’s warehouse. How the boy defended her and carried her on his back on the road home because her feet had blisters. 
               “Really??? He must really really really like you? No! Scrap that…I think that boy loves you indeed!” Sheng min was screaming at her ears. 
                “What are you saying jiejie? Don’t be silly! He’s just being friendly!” Li xu slapped Sheng min’s arm lightly.                          

 

                 “WHAT? No man would carry a girl on his back for two hours without faltering if he doesn’t like her…” Sheng min glared at the ever clueless Li xu. 
                “Jiejie…how can he like a blind girl?” Sheng min then stopped hackling and was taken aback, her heart crushed a bit by Li xu’s words. 
                 “Are you really saying no one will love you just because you’re blind?” 
                 “How can anyone think of marrying a blind girl? How can I be a good wife if I can’t even cook for my husband? How can I be a good mother if I can’t even bathe my own child because I’m afraid I might accidentally use hot water and scald him?” Li xu’s eyes changed from being all bright to gloomy
                  “Li xu…” Sheng min held the other girls hand and she gently squeezed it. She knew there’s some painful truth behind her words. 
                  “You think too much…” Sheng min sighed. 
                  “I can’t help it jiejie…” Li xu’s voice fell. 
                  “Hey! Cheer up will you! How did he said goodbye? Did he say if he will see you again?” Sheng min tilted the other’s girl chin to face her.
                  “Oh…he didn’t say anything…if he will see me again…but he..he…” Li xu’s mood lifted a bit when the thoughts about Kui xian returned in her mind. 
                   “He did what?” Sheng min questioned excitedly. 
                    “Uhmmm..he did this…” Sheng min was startled when Li xu suddenly kissed her cheek. 
                    “He did that?!!!” Sheng min was shocked and Li xu just nodded, blush creeping at her face at the memory. 
                     “Oh my…that Kyuhyun was fast!” Sheng min mused in her mind.
                     “What do you call that jiejie? What does it mean?” 
                     “Are you asking me seriously?” Sheng min can’t believe at how clueless Li xu was. Li xu just nodded. 
                     “You call that a kiss…Oh dear..you are so pure…” Sheng min looked at the younger girl with a small smile on her face. 
                      “Oh…is that a kiss? What does it mean?” 
                       “How did you feel Li xu?”
                      “Strange….it felt strangely happy.” 
                      “Yeah…I can see your happy…I’m happy you are happy. As for the meaning of this kiss…we still don’t know yet…we’ll see …alright?” Sheng min was indeed happy but was also worried too. 
                      “Can Li xu fall in love?Is she even allowed to fall in love? ”
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                      Kui xian shifted on his mat on the floor. Somehow, sleep didn’t want to pay him a visit that night. He can’t imagine how luck seems to be on his side but he can’t believe how stupid he was too!
                  

                      “How can I just kiss her without asking and run away like that? I’m no different to those old men ogling over her!” Kui xian pulled his own hair in frustration. He was damn afraid of the possible consequences. Li xu might be fuming mad at him right now. 
                    

                       Then suddenly, a loud smack resounded in the room. 
                       "Yah! Won’t let me and your mother sleep? You’ve been shifting around your bed making those annoying sounds for three hours!” Qiang ren said as he hit Kui xian with folded wooden fan on his arm

                     “What was that for!?” Kui xian rubbed his arm. He turned his body away from his sleeping parents and he smiled to himself. He suddenly had the idea on how to make it up to Li xu. 

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                       Li xu went out of the manor in the late afternoon to fetch some water to wash her feet. Lucky for her, no customers were asking for her today, so she basically had the whole night for free. She was pulling the bucket up when she sensed that someone arrived in the surroundings of the well. 
                     “Who’s here?” Li xu sounded afraid. 
                     “Uhm…uhm…” Kui xian stammered, afraid that Li xu was really mad at him. 
                     “I SAID WHO ARE YOU?!” Li xu shouted and it made the boy flinch.He didn’t know this sweet girl was ever capable of sounding this loud and angry. 
                     "Uhm..it’s me…” Kui xian spoke silently almost inaudible as he held the primroses tightly in his hand.
                     “Kui…kui xian?”
                     “Yeah…” Kui xian’s heartbeat was held on the edge as he anticipated Li xu’s reaction. She let out a heavy sigh her hand holding her chest. 
                    “ You scared me…” Li xu muttered but then she smiled. Kui xian can’t believe she just smiled. Wasn’t she mad at all?
                     “Li xu…I’m so sorry for scaring you today and for doing what I did last night..” 
                     “Sorry for what? For carrying me till your back hurt?” Li xu’s eyes furrowed. 
                     “No…for not..saying goodbye appropriately.” Kui xian just hoped Li xu should get it already. This conversation was both embarrassing and painful. 
                      “So you mean you’re saying sorry for kissing me?” Li xu continued to press on the matter. 
                     “ Yes…I’m sorry for kissing you and I promise not to do it again…” 
                     “Do I really need him to promise to not do it again?” 
                      “It’s okay Kui xian…don’t worry.” She gave him a smile again and Kui xian approached her. 
                      “Here take this...” He reached for the girl’s hand making her hold the flowers he was holding. 
                       “What are these?” Li xiu felt the thing on her hands, delicately running her fingers on the petals and the leaves. She smiled realizing what they were and she put it her nose, taking a whiff of their sweet smell. A faint tinge of red colored her cheeks. It was the first time a boy gave her flowers and it sent a nice fluttering feeling inside her stomach. 
                       “Do you like them?” Kui xian was delighted to see her not appalled by him giving her flowers as peace offering. 
                         “I do!!! I like them a lot! I remember picking them on the fields when I was still a kid…it brought me a nice feeling…happy happy memories…” Li xu continued to marvel at the flowers by touching them. 
                        “Do you..do you want to do that again?” Kui xian inquired, quite unsure how this proposal will go about. 
                        “Do what?” Li xu’s face was filled with questions. 
                        “Pick flowers..” Kui xian bit his lip in anticipation. 
                        “Do you know where…where did these come from?” Li xu’s eyes were suddenly filled with excitement. 
                         “Yes of course..I picked them myself” The boy answered.
                          "Really? Where?”
                          “In the fields somewhere out there…it’s not very far from here. Do you want to go?” Kui xian was equally excited too. 
                           “When?” 
                           “Now” Kui xian gave a mischievous grin and Li xu gave it some thought. A few hours won’t hurt. 
                           “But we should come back as soon as possible.” Li xu said and Kui xian took that as a “yes”. He offered his hand to her leading her the way as they ran to the back gate of the manor into the fields of flowers Kui xian promised to Li xu. 
                           They didn’t know it was the beginning of the many things that they will share, the many places that they will go and the many “yes” answers that Li xu will be giving Kui xian.